Seller’s Market. Some say your home will sell in a matter of days, even hours in some markets. Some may say that there is absolutely no guarantee that your home will sell, even if it’s a hot seller’s market. Are you ready? It’s enticing. You keep seeing your neighbors’ homes selling – FAST. Is your home ready? Here are some reasons your home may be THAT home not selling.
PRICE: Any house, in any condition, will sell – if the price is right. But buyers expect discounts for several reasons including dated kitchens and old plumbing. The danger of setting a price too high and then dropping it gradually is that when a home stays on the market too long, especially in this seller’s market, buyers assume there is something wrong with it and pass on looking at it. Your best bet is getting the price right the first time. A good Realtor will know the magic that it takes to do this.
PHOTOS: That first online impression – 90% of all buyers start their home search online and it’s then that they decide if they should make an appointment to go see it. If there are not many photos, buyers assume the worst. If there are few photos but they are clearly not professionally taken, or the photos show the clutter, many buyers will move on to the next listing. When you hire a skilled Realtor, he or she will have access to a professional photographer, hire one or have one on the team. Some agents still rely solely on traditional marketing tactics, like flyers and postcards, to market home listings. But, this is a mistake. Most buyers go online first. And the photos need to be perfect.
The Bottom Line: Know that you are selling in an extreme seller’s market and are more likely to sell for closer to your asking price than you would usually. Choosing the right Realtor is paramount when putting your house on the market. One who is knowledgeable on the local market and with experience selling in your neighborhood. Selling a home is a big life milestone and can be complex with all the many steps involved. The consequences of a mistake can make a big impact. It pays to spend the time and money to make sure you are getting your home on the market and ready for success.
Wire fraud is a cybercrime not just limited to real estate—it can occur anytime someone is “wiring” money, aka transferring it electronically to another person or entity. In real estate, it can occur when a scammer poses as your Realtor, lawyer, or a title company representative, then convinces you to wire your down payment to their account, never to be seen again.
Mortgage wire fraud relies on a complicated hacking technique called phishing. In a phishing scam, a hacker uses fake emails, phone numbers or websites to impersonate someone you trust. They often use an email address or phone number that looks like the one your real estate agent or lender uses. These emails and texts can look authentic and even contain personal information that only someone you know would have. Of course, the scammer phishes your personal information out of your agent’s inbox beforehand.
Another technique used is called “spoofing” to make themselves seem more legitimate. Spoofing occurs when a scammer uses special software to mimic your agent or lender’s phone number or email. When a scammer calls or emails you from a spoofed account, it can look exactly like you’re talking to someone you trust.
The goal of mortgage wire fraud is to get your closing costs into an account that the scammer owns. The scammer may tell you that there’s been a last-minute change in their banking procedures. They might also tell you that they sent the wrong address the first time.
The truth is that the address the scammer gives you will go straight into their pockets. Once you initiate a wire transfer, it’s very difficult to get your money back. Mortgage wire fraud can leave you thousands of dollars in debt and delay your closing.
The Bottom Line: Buying and selling a home is an exciting time, but there can be pitfalls for unsuspecting consumers. Watch this video for four tips to protect your money and advice for what to do if you’ve been targeted by a scam.
Curb appeal is everything, even during a seller’s market. It is paramount that you make sure the exterior is in excellent shape. There is truth to that old saying, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” – many potential buyers drive by the home before they make the call to see it. Making sure that it is in the best shape, will get them in the front door. Be sure to call the best Realtor in town to get advice. Sometimes, as the owner, you can’t see as clearly what needs to be changed or updated and need a professional to help.
Title First Agency hears a lot of what buyers see and we have listed some of the exterior home improvements that can increase the resale value of your home AND help sell your home even faster.
The front door: If potential buyers have decided to see your home, the door is the first thing they will see and walk through. Just a fresh coat of paint or replacement or removal of a damaged screen or storm door will speak volumes. Polish metal knobs. Consider replacing the door it if it is worn-out or banged-up. It’s one of the investments made that can more than pay for itself with the amount of value it adds. Then, add potted plants to each side of your freshened up or new front door.
The approach to the front door: How is the driveway? Does it need to be power washed? Resealed? Is there a fence? Is it broken anywhere? Are there cracked pavers? A knowledgeable and honest Realtor will take that “approach” walk with you and help point out things you may not even notice because you have walked by it so many times.
Update your landscaping: Before the drive-by, most potential buyers search on the internet for a home. The pictures will be worth a thousand words and to have beautiful landscaping will help showcase your home and be put on the buyer’s list to see. The best Realtor will tell you that you want to make it easy for possible buyers to envision themselves coming home to your home every day. Remove any distractions (garden accessories, etc)- spruce up it up with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers. If it’s Fall or Winter, make sure your yard has been raked of leaves, sticks and other debris.
Home repairs: Make sure there isn’t any loose siding, replace loose or damaged roof shingles. Look for any wood rot – again, you may need to call an experienced Realtor to help you “see” what you have looked at every day. Is there a deck, a front porch or a patio? If your home needs a new roof, it would be in your best interest to just replace it. Buyers tend to shy away from homes that will be needing a new roof soon. And, adding the detail of “new roof” to your listing will grab even more buyers’ attention.
Windows: Fix any cracks, clean screens, and storm windows. Have you washed your windows in a while? In between the glass and the screen is a whole world of dust and fun that should be cleaned. Shine them so that from the street they look brand new.
The Bottom Line: Even in a seller’s market as we are experiencing just about everywhere right now– some homes linger on the market for weeks or months, while the homes around them go into contract within days. A book is judged by its cover, and you only have one shot to make a good impression. Even in a hot market, buyers want to see a home without visible deferred maintenance. Take the time to put on your home’s best face. Make your home stand out from all the other homes on the market and get the most out of your sale.
Here we are, in almost every state in America, smack in the middle of a seller’s market. People looking for their new homes are desperate and frustrated. Inventory is scarce and bidding wars are abundant. It is, indeed, a challenging time to purchase a home. However, if you have ever thought about selling your home, now might be the best time to do it. If that is the case, you are surely aware that your home will sell quickly and most likely for more money.
If it’s so easy to sell your home right now, you might wonder if you should just sell it yourself and skip hiring an agent. If youre going to sell it and make money on it, what is the point of getting involved with a Realtor?
All Realtors have access to a myriad of marketing opportunities that will get your home in front of buyers such as the MLS, social media, open houses, advertising, and word of mouth within their well-connected network. You’ll get much more exposure. The MLS is the first place most Realtors begin searches for their clients and it is also automatically syndicated and displayed on third-party sites like Zillow or Trulia.
Often sellers get overconfident in this market climate and forget the basics, like staging your home, updating inside and outside, and clearing out clutter. Homes are not just quickly snapped up for a high price no matter the condition. The home should have amenities comparable to other properties for sale in the same price range. If you need to upgrade certain things in the home, do it as these changes can make all the difference between a quick sale and one that sits.
Do you think you would be able to handle a bidding war that is common right now in this seller’s market? There are challenges to working with multiple offers on your home and when you have a Realtor negotiating for you there is a better chance of you making the highest profit on your home.
The best Realtors know how to help their clients get the most money during negotiations. They are able to skillfully navigate prospective buyers’ emotions, work with multiple offers effectively, and know how to use timing to your advantage.
Pricing
Even though it is a seller’s market and bidding wars are normal, you will want to have a pricing strategy to ensure your home is sold for the most money possible. It’s tempting to price your home well above the market but it could and probably will turn off informed buyers and leave your home sitting on the market. Even if a buyer agrees to your big price, they might not be able to close if the appraisal comes in low. Additionally, a good Realtor will fight for your property value. They know how to deal with appraisers to get the value where it needs to be for closing.
The main goal is to find the perfect price and an experienced Realtor knows how to do that. The price will reflect the comps in your neighborhood, including homes currently in escrow which might be more than the current comps. A Realtor will be able to reach out to other agents to get the information needed.
The Bottom Line: It’s quite challenging during a normal market, it’s a whole other stressful endeavor during a seller’s market. Hiring a Realtor right now is preferable because of their experience and resources which lead homes to garner higher prices on the market.
Buying a house is a milestone that many want to reach. Having a place to call our own and transform into a home where you can start a new chapter of your life seems like a great idea. Making that dream into a reality takes saving, planning, and researching, which often leaves people feeling overwhelmed and potentially discouraged. Knowing where to start isn’t always crystal clear, and in today’s competitive market, having tools to know where to start and how to stand out will help you navigate the world of buying a home for the first time.
Start Saving Now
Saving for a purchase as big as a house takes time, effort, and strategy. It is never too early to start saving for the home buying process. Consider opening a separate savings account to keep your spending money away from your future house money. It may even be beneficial to look at different savings accounts at other financial institutions to see who will give you the better interest rate while your money sits in savings. If your house buying plans are years in the future, consider putting your funds in a certificate of deposit (CD) where you can earn the most interest during that period. While standard savings accounts have an interest rate, it is smaller than the interest rate of a CD. Locking your funds into a certificate for a year or two may be a good choice if you have a good chunk of money ready to accrue interest. With the time and balance constraints CDs have, some may find a standard savings account more beneficial. While the act of saving, in general, is an incredibly important component of the home buying journey, it is also important to know all of the things you need to save up for.
Down Payment: The majority of the money you save will be for the down payment you make on a home. The more you save up, the better your chances are at securing a loan from a lender or negotiating with a seller. The larger your down payment, the less your loan amount will be, which means you can pay off your mortgage faster.
Closing Costs: The closing costs are fees collected at the end of the buying process. The day you sign the paperwork to buy the house, you will bring funds for the down payment and funds for the closing costs, which include fees from many things done during the loan process.
Here are a few examples of what your closing costs could include:an appraisal of the property, attorney fees for the documentation of the closing, the first year of homeowners insurance, escrow fees for the first two months
Your closing costs can include many things, some may be small, but they can add up quickly. Keeping track of what your closing costs include will help you prepare for how much money you will need to save. Communicating with your lender during each step of the process will prepare you for the closing date.
Understand the Market You Are in
The state of the housing market can turn on a dime. One day it is a buyer’s market and the next, a seller’s market. What that means and how it can impact your journey is important to understand before you start your home buying process.
Buyer’s Market A buyers market is when there are more houses for sale than people looking to buy. The market consists of homes looking to sell. Often they are on the market for quite some time, which allows the buyer to have the upper hand. There may be price reductions on properties to incentivize a sale, which could bode well for your budget. You can also negotiate with the seller on things like keeping appliances in the home or having the home warranty included in the purchase.
Seller’s Market This is when more people are looking to buy than there are houses for sale. This gives the sellers an upper hand in that they can have multiple bids on their property, thus driving up the final sale price. If this is the market you are trying to buy in, you may find yourself in a bidding war between yourself and other potential buyers. You want to find ways to stand out that do not take you outside of your budget. This could include a letter to the sellers describing yourself and your situation and why you want to buy their home, which could have them sympathizing with you and find you more deserving of the property. You may also consider offering things like a flexible closing date or a larger amount of cash as a down payment to make you more appealing to the seller.
The market you are buying in will determine how aggressive you need to be as a buyer. If bidding wars are part of your journey, you will have to be prepared to act fast and either increase bids or fold quickly. In either market, you should prepare to say goodbye to a property promptly, as situations can change an offer instantaneously. Things like problems with the inspection or appraisal or even problems with the seller’s housing situation can have them reject the sale. Remembering that nothing is set in stone until you close will help prepare you for surprises that come your way.
Consider the Pros and Cons of Your Housing Options
When you start looking for a house for sale, you and your realtor will decide what type of property you are hoping to find. There are benefits and disadvantages to each type of property available on the market.
Turnkey Home These homes are often state-of-the-art with appliances and finishings that are on-trend at the moment. A turnkey property could be a great choice if you aren’t looking to do any work to the home after moving in. The downside to buying a turnkey home is that it can be expensive and close to the top of your budget. Depending on the type of market you are in, you could find yourself in a bidding war and potentially lose.
Foreclosed Home Buying a house in foreclosure can have many benefits. These homes are cheap, often sold at auction, and can need quite a bit of repair. Because they sell at such a low price, you can have an easier time financing the renovations you need to do without going over budget. This will also allow you to create your dream home from scratch. The downside to buying a foreclosed home is that there could be hidden liens on the property that you don’t know about, so it is important to do your research before considering buying one of these homes.
Townhouse A townhouse is a multi-story house that has a communal wall with the homes next to it. Usually found in urban areas, they have very little yard space and can be the perfect home for someone who craves city living. Townhouses generally have a Home Owners Association (HOA) they must be a member of, which some may view as a pro or a con. The pro is that in paying the HOA fees, they cover things like maintenance of the grounds, which many traditional homeowners would have to do on their own. While townhomes can be more affordable than a traditional home, some may find paying the membership fees for the HOA can take them outside of their budget.
Consider the type of house you want and how that will impact the cost. Buying a home that needs a lot of work to bring it back to good shape can seem like an exciting project to undertake, but make sure you can handle both the financial pressures and the time constraints. If you want to renovate the house from the ground up, chances are you aren’t going to be able to live there while renovations are happening.
Buying a home is an exciting experience. While it may be stressful and overwhelming to think of where to start, sitting down and organizing your to-do list will help you visualize the process. Crossing things off your list one step at a time will help you feel like you are making progress. Always make sure a title search is on that list of things to do before purchasing a home to make sure you are in the clear and the property can really be yours at closing. Once you have those keys in your hand and you step through your front door, you will feel your new chapter starting in a home you call your own.
When many people see the listing price of a home, they often wonder what they can really get the house for- this is a natural instinct, and it’s understandable, but you’ll need to avoid making a lowball offer in a seller’s market. Many buyers fail to get the home they want in such a market, as with a shortage of inventory and fierce competition, it can be hard to outbid another buyer willing to put their best deal down on the table. Be sure to lead with a strong offer to maximize your chances of getting the home you want.
Over-Analyzing the Purchase Price
Just as buying a home on impulse is risky, over-analyzing a home purchase in a seller’s market is ill-advised as well. If you wait too long to make an offer on the home you want, your risk of losing the home will greatly increase. If you’ve found the type of home you want, in a location you desire, in your price range, that meets your qualifications, don’t wait to make an offer (but be sure to have a preapproval in place and a down payment on hand).
Working with an Inexperienced Agent
If you’re looking for a new home and you find yourself in a seller’s market, you’re going to want to get all the help you can. By having a seasoned agent on your side, you’ll have a better chance of getting the home you want. In most cases, buyers don’t pay real estate agents anyway (sellers usually cover the broker’s fees). Working with a real estate agent will save you a ton of time and stress, as they’ll be able to provide tremendous insight regarding upcoming inventory.
Not Being Prequalified or Preapproved for a Loan
Your ability to be approved for a mortgage loan will be largely based on your steady income, low debt-to-income ratio, and high credit score, but your seller won’t know that unless you first get prequalified by a lender. It’s absolutely paramount to getting the home you want in a competitive market, and not getting prequalified sends a strong message to the seller that you’ll lag on getting your ducks in order and that you aren’t taking the house hunt seriously.
Not Being Prepared for a Bidding War
One of the biggest mistakes a buyer can make in a seller’s market is not being prepared for a bidding war, and it’s understandable- no buyer wants to be involved in such a battle for fear of going over budget. Be sure to set your search below your max budget, so there’s room to spare in case you find yourself in an over-asking bidding war.
The National Association of Realtors indicates that fiduciary duties cover six distinct areas: loyalty, confidentiality, disclosure, obedience, reasonable care and diligence, and accounting. Some—but not all—of these duties are self-explanatory.
Loyalty means a Realtor must act in the best interest of his clients, including placing their client interests above their own. So, for example, if an agent is interested in buying a house that he knows is perfect for one of his clients, he must give the client priority and refrain from making an offer unless and until the client rejects the house.
Confidentiality means Realtors must safeguard their clients’ secrets. Agents often know the lowest price that a seller-client will take, for example, but the agent must keep it a secret. Likewise, if a seller must sell due to an emergency, the agent may not reveal the seller’s distress. Buyer’s agents must also keep their client’s secrets. For example, the highest price that a buyer is willing to pay and that the buyer loves a given house are secrets.
Disclosure means that the Realtor is required to disclose affirmatively all information concerning the transaction as well as the property which might affect the decisions a principal makes, informing the principal what the Realtor knows.
Obedience requires an agent to carry out his client’s legal wishes. No agent is ever obligated to violate the law. In fact, the law calls for fair and honest dealing, no matter whom the agent represents. So if a seller tells an agent to lie about a leaking roof, he is under no obligation to do so. However, if a seller tells her agent to list a house at a given price, the agent must obey. If the price is unreasonable, the agent should encourage the seller to reconsider the price or do as the seller asks, but the agent cannot list it at a different price.
Realtors are obligated to use reasonable care and diligence in pursuing the principal’s affairs. The standard of care expected of a real estate broker representing a seller or buyer is that of a competent real estate professional. By reason of his license, a Realtor is deemed to have skill and expertise in real estate matters superior to that of the average person. As an agent representing others in their real estate dealings, a broker or salesperson is under a duty to use his superior skill and knowledge while pursuing his principal’s affairs. This duty includes an obligation to affirmatively discover facts relating to his principal’s affairs that a reasonable and prudent real estate broker would be expected to investigate. Simply put, this is the same duty any professional, such as a doctor or lawyer, owes to his patient or client.
The duty of accounting means that the agent must account for money and property entrusted to her. Agents must give escrow funds to their brokers or to the client’s attorney who will keep it in an escrow fund. Listing agents must keep track of showings so that they have a record of who has come and gone. They must also ensure that a listed house is secure, either by signing out keys to other licensed agents and accounting for their whereabouts or by hanging a lockbox on the property.
The Bottom Line: Fiduciary abuse is against the law and can leave an agent open to a lawsuit, and it destroys the professional and ethical standing of the real estate agent. As a Realtor, you should always be aware of your fiduciary duties to your clients. It’s a major responsibility and upholding these duties is crucial to developing a strong reputation.
Today in the United States, home sales are on the rise as mortgage interest rates remain low. Buyers are looking to take advantage of low-interest rates and sellers are looking to get top-dollar for their home in the low inventory, competitive market. Is it a buyer or seller’s market?
When the supply of homes exceeds the demand it’s a buyer’s market. The inventory of homes listed for sale is large but there aren’t many interested buyers looking. These conditions give buyers leverage over sellers because when supply is higher and demand lower, the market is forced to respond.
In a buyer’s market, real estate prices decrease, and homes linger on the market longer. Because of this, sellers will need to compete with each other in order to attract buyers. What typically happens is sellers drop their asking prices to gain an advantage in the market and they are ready to negotiate offers to prevent buyers from walking away. A buyer’s market does not mean your house won’t sell. Hire an experienced Realtor to help you get your home ready to show and to price it right to sell.
A few tips for buying a home in a buyers market knowing that it’s the ideal time to buy your dream home because the prices are lower and there are less people to compete with shopping the market:
Don’t rush. This is when you can take your time because with less competition it’s not as much of a concern that you might miss out on a property you like.
Have your Realtor show you as many homes for sale as possible. Knowing what is available on the market is favorable because it will not only ensure that you find the perfect home but give you a greater ability to negotiate on price.
A good Realtor will make sure you are familiar with all the comparable properties on the market and this will help in negotiating the price. Use the comps to your advantage.
Know how long a home has been on the market. The longer it has been available the more power you will have to negotiate for a lower price.
A few tips for selling your home in a buyers market:
Make your home stand out. Take advice from an experienced Realtor on what should be done to accomplish this.
There are more properties out there when it’s a buyer’s market and they will be pickier. If your home needs repairs it’s in your best interest to get them fixed.
Clean and depersonalize each room. If buyers can’t envision themselves living in your home, they won’t make offers. Get rid of any clutter, hire a professional cleaning service and touch up your landscaping to prepare to put your home on the market. Pull out any family photos, papers, souvenirs, or anything else that makes it “your” home.
Find the Realtor that will price your home competitively. Look at all the listings in your area and see what they are offering. Make sure your asking price is either on par with or lower than the comparable homes in your area. And when you do get an offer, make sure that you judge it fairly.
A buyer’s market is the most ideal time to buy a home. You will have the advantage as a buyer. Not only are there more homes to choose from, but you have the power in most negotiations. The ability to walk away from a sale knowing there are probably comparable homes on the market gives you the power. Sellers are more likely to make concessions, drop prices and accept less favorable offers.
If your plans are to buy or sell a home soon, align yourself with a trustworthy Realtor. They are well-versed in market trends and can answer questions you may have throughout the buying or selling process.
During a typical home sale, it averages about four weeks to close. If you’re buying in cash without a lender the closing can happen within as little as a week.
No Contingencies
Mortgages can fall through for buyers that are preapproved. When you pay in cash, you eliminate that possibility. Presenting a cash offer removes the need for a financing contingency which is usually a requirement in a real estate transaction where the buyer is using bank financing. Depending on market conditions, the buyer may present a lower offer than what other bidders with financing are offering the seller. The seller may be willing to accept a lower purchase price in exchange for being able to close a deal quickly.
You Own Your Home
Bottom line, if you’ve got a mortgage, you don’t actually own your house — the bank does. When you buy a house in cash, you can feel secure knowing that no one can take that house away from you, and big, unexpected problems like a job loss won’t leave you without a roof over your head.
The cons
Tying Up Your Funds
If you spend your life savings buying a house in cash, you’ll tie up all your money in one large investment. The money you use to buy your house isn’t liquid (meaning you don’t have direct access to the cash, and you’d have to sell your home to get your hands on it), so if you need your money for any other reason, it won’t be readily available. Additionally, you may face a shortage of cash that could have been used to invest in other lucrative assets. Taking some of the cash you use to pay for a home and investing it instead, could possibly make you more money in the long run.
No Tax Deductions
A buyer that uses a mortgage to purchase a real estate property enjoys tax breaks on the mortgage interest payments. When a buyer decides to purchase a home using cash only, they miss out on the tax deductions that they would’ve enjoyed if they used mortgage financing to complete the transaction.
Extra Title Protection
Reviewing the title for any other claims, liens, or issues that could prevent you from taking full ownership is all part of the home-buying process. The title research takes place whether you pay in cash or get a mortgage, and it’s always smart to get title insurance on your investment, which will protect you in the event that the title research missed any claims.
When you get a mortgage to buy your house, there’s another entity interested in making sure the title is clear and that you stay in the house and keep paying your mortgage: the mortgage lender. Your lender will secure title insurance, too, so that if there is a claim filed at some point, you’ll have an additional layer of protection that a cash buyer wouldn’t have.
The Bottom Line:
It’s scary to spend your entire nest egg in one place. If you can pay cash for a house and still have money left over for emergencies, home repairs, and other unexpected things that come your way, paying in cash is probably a great financial move. On the other hand, if paying cash for a house completely wipes you out, you might want to reconsider.
It’s critically important, whether you’re working with an agent or selling your home on your own, to market it online. Especially now, during the COVID pandemic where there are limits on visiting homes. Using the MLS will get you the most exposure but you must put your best foot forward. Find the best Realtor and interview her to see how she will take advantage of all the opportunities to get your home in front of people. A good Realtor will have access to the best indoor photographers and understand that photos are more important than ever and they must be showcased on all social media platforms. Most American adults are online. More than 1 billion people in the entire world log in to Facebook on any given day. The potential to reach a huge number of people is exceptional.
On the subject of photographs: The very best Realtor will help you to stage and prepare your home for professional pictures. All rooms should be clear of any clutter. The pictures MLS displays are usually grainy and of poor quality. Homebuyers more times than not, begin the search for their new home online. Take advantage of this. Stand in the doorway to rooms and snap the photo shooting into the room. There are never too many photos!
Facebook business page: Now those beautiful photos need to be posted and announced, showcased, and marketed. The Realtor your choose should have a strong Facebook page with a good following of people. The posts should be shared, linked, and even made into an ad. They should know how to target the ad and pinpoint people by location, interests, behaviors, age, and more. Realtors might even host open houses via Facebook LIVE and interact with people that are watching.
Instagram: The world’s largest photo-sharing platform is the perfect place to showcase the photos taken of the home. Instagram Stories are gaining in popularity and selling homes. A powerful and fun way to get information out. The great thing about Instagram Stories is that they are automatically featured at the top of a user’s homepage. The poster can expect their story to generate more exposure than a post in this case.
The Bottom Line: Everyone wants a Realtor that can be trusted and will do everything she can to get the most money for a home in the least amount of time. The Realtor is the homeowner’s advocate. The marketing of the home should be exceptional. Beyond using the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) there should be professional pictures to use on websites and every social media platform available.
See Our National Coverage Map
